Well, my electric water heater is about 12 years old. We had really hot water then nothing. Changed the bottom element and water is warm after 12 hours. Bought a backup element to change the top. When I pulled the top element it looked shorter than the bottom but according to the sticker they should be the same. Would I mess anything up putting the wrong element in or risk a fire?
- Thread starter Mark W.
- Start date
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
What matters is the wattage, not the shape. As long as it's the correct wattage and will physically fit in the tank, it should work.
Although the top and bottom elements are typically the same, it's not uncommon for the top one to be larger. That gives a faster recovery time when the tank is cold, while reducing the current draw in normal use.
You should check the size of the water heater circuit as well as the heater label when changing elements. It's possible to installer substituted smaller elements because the circuit was too small for the original elements. 20 amp (12 gauge) circuits are good for 3600 watts, while 30 amp (10 gauge) circuits are good for up to 6000 watts.
Have you checked the old element with an ohmmeter to confirm it's bad? It's quite unusual for an upper element to burn out, unless the heater is operated dry. The symptoms you describe sound like a problem with the lower element, or possibly one of the thermostats.
Although the top and bottom elements are typically the same, it's not uncommon for the top one to be larger. That gives a faster recovery time when the tank is cold, while reducing the current draw in normal use.
You should check the size of the water heater circuit as well as the heater label when changing elements. It's possible to installer substituted smaller elements because the circuit was too small for the original elements. 20 amp (12 gauge) circuits are good for 3600 watts, while 30 amp (10 gauge) circuits are good for up to 6000 watts.
Have you checked the old element with an ohmmeter to confirm it's bad? It's quite unusual for an upper element to burn out, unless the heater is operated dry. The symptoms you describe sound like a problem with the lower element, or possibly one of the thermostats.
On mine the top element was smaller than the bottom element. Have you checked your top and bottom thermostats to see if they are working. Did you check the old elements for continuity before you changed them? Sounds more like a non functioning thermostat than an element problem. gobble
ditchwitch
Well-known Member
For what little money they cost , replace both elements and thermostats and be do with it.
Just like tractors,testing part before replacing it will not only save money but actually fix it the first time. The top thermostat is the master and will only alow current to lower when top is satisfied. In your case it sound's like a top element (you can use any size as long as it is 240 volt and not more watts than listed on tag). If upper t-stat was bad,no current would flow to element so water would be cold after 12 hours. Water is probably conducting enough current across break in element to warm water over several hours. In any event a $20 vom will nail it down and come in handy while trouble shooting cars, tractors home electric.
Case Nutty 1660
Well-known Member
my original ones were different sized I have changed them at least four times since then as we have a lot of nasty stuff in our citys water,, like others said save some time and change both elements and if like mine both of the temp units,,
mjsnodgrass
Member
just went through this last weekend. one of my thermostats were bad. I replaced both.
Just don't break the bolts off! At work we have the big Hatco booster units for the dish washers. They run at 190 degrees. Some of them are 220 3phase and there are two that are 480 three phase. Max on a home unit shoukd be around 130 tops. That is to try and prevent severe burns from hot water. In nursing homes they set the residents water temp around 115 for just that same reason as old peopke loose their hot cold feeling. As the others have said, just change everything. Not 5hat expensive. Put a dab of silicone grease behind 5he thermostat if it is a contact type. Most screw in and a wrap of teflon does wonders. See what others think. You might want to change out the aluminum anode rod and the TPF valve if your unit is that old.
BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
At 12 years you're ready for a new water heater. It will begin to leak very soon.
That said even if the top element was no good you should have gotten hot water in a lot less than 12 hours.
That said even if the top element was no good you should have gotten hot water in a lot less than 12 hours.
oliverplow
Member
I'm not an expert but the top element might be shorter so it will not touch the diptube and melt that? The diptube draws hot water off the bottom and the unit fills with cold water on top. if your diptube breaks off, you will run out of hot water in a hurry. Correct me if I'm wrong, I know my wife would. lol
Pete in MD
Well-known Member
- Location
- Central Maryland
oliverplow,
You've got the function of the dip tube backwards. The dip tube takes cold, incoming water down to the bottom of the tank. Hot water comes out of the top of the tank without touching the dip tube.
You've got the function of the dip tube backwards. The dip tube takes cold, incoming water down to the bottom of the tank. Hot water comes out of the top of the tank without touching the dip tube.
Typically, for a full-size WH, element length is all about quality/watt density.
The shorter the element, the CHEAPER and watt density the highest.
The best quality/longest lasting elements are LONG and curvy, for the lowest watt density. In other words, they distribute the heat energy over a lot more surface area.
Some of the best/longest-lasting elements for use with hard water are the "Sand Hog" units.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Building code now states the water heater be set for a minimum of 140F iirc and a blending valve set down to 110F to be added to mix cold with the hot to prevent burns .
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